Monthly Archives: April 2011

Earl Sweatshirt, one of the members (is he still a member) of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA), has apparently been located. According to Exclaim, the musician disappeared, only to be found in a photograph– a possible school photograph? Sweatshirt is currently the youngest member of the group, but certainly not the least considered. The collobaration has recently announced a North American tour– perhaps Sweatshirt will show up.

With LCD Soundsystem’s final show, a recent cover release has surfaced. According to Paste Magazine, James Murphy and the band has covered Franz Ferdinand’s Live Alone. Unfortunately for fans, this does not mean resurrection LCD, but it gives a hint of consolation for the loss. Fourty-years young, Murphy is shifting from band to solo work. It was mentioned that Murphy plans to continue in his music career– just not as LCD Soundsystem.

Information was recently released that James Mercer’s is bringing back the Shins. After a two-year standstill, the band has decided to resurface. Although the band had taken a break, Mercer was busy colloborating with Danger Mouse aka Brian Burton in his side project Broken Bells. The latter has also released a new EP Meyrin Fields. The four-song EP is slightly different from the band’s previous release. With the Shins back in the game, will Mercer leave his other projects?

Neil Gaiman’s American Gods is circling within the television industry’s conversations. According to Paste Magazine, Gaiman’s novel is up for consideration– an HBO series consideration. Best known for his adolescent novel Coraline, which was later adapted into a film, Gaiman is no veteran to the film world. A week prior to this announcement, information was disclosed about a movie adaptation as well. Will this be more successful as a series or a film? Stay tuned!

As the semester wraps up, students are scrambling to finish last-minute assignments and prepare for summer work/internships. Reflecting on these past months, I have found I have learned much more about public relations than I ever intended to learn. In the beginning of the year, I had no expectations. I went in with an open mind, ready to experience and explore the PR field, but not setting a goal for myself. But I believe ultimately, a subliminal goal was created as the weeks progressed. Thanks to my professor, I not only received a substantial amount of information about the PR career, but truly had a chance to have some interaction with a real PR professional. It is one thing to teach PR, but it is another thing to be in the actual industry. I have to give my professor a big shout because she is, without a doubt, a PR expert. Thanks Prof!

After my reflection, I had come up with a list of the top-ten things I have learned about public relations. The list goes as follows:

1. Networking is key.

2. Public Relations is subjective unlike journalism which is objective.

3. The definition of publics.

4. Twitter, Facebook, all things social-networking related are great outlets, but one must be careful with the information put out on these sites.

5. Blog.

6. Networking will show up everywhere, more than once. Hence its inclusion on this list twice.

7. Remember names.

8. PR professionals are essentially ambassadors.

9. Dress professionally.

10. Press releases = grammar background.

I can confidently say I am able to carry somewhat of a conversation about public relations without tilting my head in confusion. Although I am limited in PR work experience, I hope to one day garner my skills I have learned in this class and put them into action.

“The process of planning, executing, and evaluation programs that encourage purchase and consumer satisfaction through credible communication of information and impressions that identify companies and their products with the needs, wants, concerns, and interests of consumers,” (Thomas L. Harris – A Marketer’s Guide to Public Relations).

The latter quote sums up my one of my topics of discussion for my upcoming presentation (PR applications class).

When I was first told to define Public Relations, I immediately jumped on the word marketing. I never understood‒until going through this course‒why there was a separate branch of work for PR professionals. I thought the assumption to umbrella PR under the marketing sector was safe. Now I have realized otherwise.

To tie this into marketing communications, public relations people will have a hand in this matter of business from time to time. For example, if a company wants to promote a particular technology product, a PR professional may be contacted to help aid in the marketing of the product. In marketing communications, there are three approaches: product publicity, cause-related marketing, and corporate sponsorship.

In the product publicity approach, a PR professional’s job is to effectively promote the product while maintaining a low-expense rate. Branching off this approach is the option of product placement. One example of this tactic is placing an advertisement in a television program or movie preview. Because it is placed in an already running program, people are more likely to sit through and watch it.

The next approach, cause-related marketing, uses the picture of a profit-making company juxtaposed with a nonprofit organization. This attempt hopes to inspire the consumer into thinking the profit-making company is supporting a just cause. Thus, the consumer will presumably make a purchase of that company’s particular product.

The final approach involves corporate sponsorships. When events/products are sponsored (especially by well-known companies), it enhances the overall appearance.

In addition to marketing communications, I will touch on the subjects of environmental relations and corporate philanthropy.